SUQQU Blend Color Eyeshadow in EX-27 Hanashion

 SUQQU Blend Color Eyeshadow EX-27 Hanashion was first released in Japan as an Umeda Hankyu exclusive for fall 2015. Later on, as it was making its way to UK Selfridges, some marketing genius decided to have them only available as sets. If you want this pretty purple palette, you either have to get it with the Creamy Glow Moist Lipstick EX-18(was a nice sheer coral, but it was not 40+ bucks nice) or gel liner/lipstick that were leftover from fall 2014.

It got to be one of the most effective yet repulsive (to be honest, I am repulsed by my own gullibility) marketing tactic in my recent memory. I was so put-off that I forgot about the pretty purple palette for months. It was only until recently, when I reorganized all my eyeshadow and housed them into the big Muji case, I was reminded I still have this pretty little thang.

Time to wear it while we have a bit of sunshine left. 

I tried to find some purple flowers but lilac was out of reach (the only tree within my vicinity was too tall and...in other people's yard. I dared not mess with the New Jersey housewives) and asters were nowhere to be found. 

This is quite a departure from their original aesthetic. Not only the brand is packing more and more sparkles, the colors are also getting increasingly sweet and girly. Just look at this purple-pink-beige combo, doesn't it look just like Chanel Tisse Cambon and Majolica Majorca RS 354 Flower Girl?

 I guess it will appeal to younger customers but it also makes their color-stories less distinct from the less-expensive high end brand (and even some well-made drugstore brands). 

On the bottom right there is a soft cream that's soft pink with golden sheen. Inclusion of cream pan is one of the things I really dislike in any expensive eyeshadow (not that I like them in drugstore ones either). Not only it catches the fall out from other pans, I also feel cheated out by non-shading pan in such an expensive palette.

Aside from adding a somewhat slippery finish and a frosty base, it's nothing that I can't get from a 7-bucks primer from Canmake.

Upper right pan is a medium beige-taupe with a pink sheen. It's gentle and easy to wear and nothing unique. It's looks a rich (has a bit of everything) enough that I find it turn muddy easily when layered with other colors.

Upper left pan is a medium-light pink with a soft veil of golden sheen. It's deep enough to be used as a lid shade and reminds me of petal under the warm sunshine. It doesn't look much but it's my favorite pan. 

Lower left pan is supposedly the star of the whole palette. A medium to deep purple that looks slighty deeper on skin.  I find this shade a little awkward: It's very sparkly but at the same time, has a dry/thin texture that makes it appear blotchy by itself and a little messy on top of the other shades. I had to be really careful dealing with it. It seems that the pink brings out this pan better than the taupe beige.

With cream pan as primer. Pink as a base and a bit of purple and taupe mixed together as defining shade and I get a springlike petal look that I could wear outside.

Beside the frosty cream primer, the rest in Hanashion are all medium lid shades. There isn't an effective base-highlight or a defining eyeliner. On the bright side, you might have a lots of fun mixing all three (well I didn't because mud).

Texture wise. Hanashion is kind of sort of finely milled, no cakey finish or excessive powder being kicked out.  The texture also happens to be the most powdery and coarsest from Suqqu I have tried. In fact, I don't find it any better than the eyeshadow by Kanebo Kate(15 bucks, yo).

Overall: It's certainly a delicate trio that's wonderful for springtimes. While I might not find it as special as the other Suqqu releases, I am very glad I got this and the bundled lipstick. Not only the two will be worn from time to time (well because they are so darn expensive), this collection managed to kill off my desire for their subsequent releases. There will be no more hoarding for the sake of research, the (newer) formula is not worth it.